Corporate leaders target 'growth' at seminar

By Jim Stafford
Business Writer
Published July 20, 2007 in the Oklahoman
Copyright © 2007, The Oklahoma Publishing Company

All attention was focused on "growth” at a seminar for corporate leaders Thursday at Gallardia Country Club, although it wasn't necessarily directed at the bottom line.

"We have stated values, and that is personal growth, professional growth and spiritual growth,” said Mike Bosley, president of Beam's Industries Inc., a manufacturer of specialty seat belts and related products.

Bosley joined three other local executives in a panel discussion before about 200 fellow executives that focused on growth in a conference titled "Taking You Where You Want to Go.” The conference was presented by the Growth Network.

"We want everyone in the company to grow in every one of those three areas as much as possible,” Bosley said. "It's our obligation and our promise to help people do that. Not everyone thinks that by going to work and operating a sewing machine or operating a kick-press that they will have the opportunity to grow spiritually, professionally and personally, but we really find ourselves obligated to provide that opportunity.”

Beam's Industries recently moved from a 16,000-square-foot facility to a new 67,000-square-foot plant just south of Tinker Air Force Base.

Fellow panelists Tom Hill, president and chairman of Kimray Inc.; Dale Hageman, president and chief executive of Accord Human Resources; and Vince Orza, dean of the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University, each provided a slightly different perspective on the "growth” theme.

Kimray's Hill turned around the topic of growth by posing a question of his own: "Why are you growing?”

"What is your goal in growing?” Hill asked rhetorically. "If your goal is just to get bigger and make more money, then you are going to make decisions like some of the people at Enron and these other companies have made.”

Kimray is a 69-year-old company that provides specialty tools for the energy industry, yet has been listed on the Metro 50 list of fast-growing local companies for three consecutive years. It employees 550 people, all of whom are immersed in a "Character First!” program developed by Hill.

"Our primary concern should be taking care of the employees we have and not growth,” Hill said. "The reason for our growth is that we want to meet the demands of our customers we are serving.”

Personal, corporate growth

The concept of personal growth leading to corporate growth also is the focus at Accord, Hageman said.

"We're really trying hard in our company to align ourselves with people who have similar values but also have big aspirations,” Hageman told the audience. "I believe part of our growth comes from (employees) growing themselves, and it's a mutual thing. People from within a company often say, ‘I don't see where my opportunity is here,' and I try to paint a picture this is a growing company, you can help us grow. I don't even know where there opportunity is, but as long as this company is growing, you will be growing.

"If you are growing with us we are going to continue to create opportunities, and it creates careers and helps people realize their dreams and it's helping us do that at the same time, which is serving our customers and helping them to grow.”

Orza operated a publicly owned company for almost 20 years, so he faced short-term pressure of meeting quarterly goals while trying to direct the company toward its long-term objectives.

The panel was moderated by David Woods, chief executive of Oklahoma City-based Giant Partners.